Girls done

Sally Fitzgibbons has won the women's Billabong Pro Rio in more crappy beach break dribble. She beat Coco Ho in a close final. Both surfers got decent scores on waves that normally would be scored a four but got beefed up with the conditions.

This is her second win of the year and she is again a serious contender for the title again this year with just two more events left (France and the US Open).

Hopefully the men will get better waves but don't bet on it. Round two surfers would be getting a little nervous.

New World Champ

Carrissa Moore has just won the womens world championship in France after outgoing champ Steph Gilmore has just beaten the only other women with a shot, Australia's Sally Fitzgibbon in the semis.

The Roxy Pro should finish today as there is only the final between Moore and Gilmore to go. The womens longboarders are in the water now.

Moore is one of the new breed of surfers and rips pretty hard. She is at home in big waves and punting in little ones. She was one of the first star surfers to get mainstream sponsorship, signing with Target and Nike 6.0. Her win will help push Nike deeper into the action sports market. 

Bells

Watched a bit of Bells from my hotel room in Naples, Italy. It is on in the very early morning but I have picked up the odd heat before breakfast and some of the heats on demand.

Looks like decent surf for the first time in the last few years. If the men's finals are run tomorrow as planned it will be the first time for a while that the event has stayed at Bells (Winki counts as staying) and run straight through.

Sally Fitzgibbons has won the women's event from Carissa Moore. Steph Gilmore made the semis. The title race could have some contenders this year.

The judging has come under some scrutiny with Bobbie Martinez complaining even after winning against Taj in round two. It is very difficult to work out how some rides are being scored. I don't think one hugeish snap that is on a poor choice of wave or that put you behind the running wall and you kick out is better than a number of hacks down the line. Mick Fannins first 9 in round four was deserving but his second, maybe not.

Final tomorrow. Watch it online or FuelTV.

Ciao

New girls and epic battles

The Roxy Pro finished today with the new crop staking a claim in 2011. Steph Gilmore lost to new comer Laura Enever in the quarters as did stalwarts Slivana Lima and former world champ Chelsea Hedges. The only "rookie" to go down was Coco Ho to Sally Fitzgibbons. Sally (20 and in her 3rd season) didn't last another heat getting beaten by Carissa Moore. The final was between Moore and Owen Wright's more successful little sister Tyler with the American taking home the bacon.

The semi consisted of a 17, 18, 19 and 20 year old with a combined four years on tour. Wright and Enever are both in their first world tour events as proper members rather than wildcards. Changing of the guard ?

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST FINAL RESULTS:
1 – Carissa Moore (HAW) 15.34
2 – Tyler Wright (AUS) 14.37

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.53 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 11.84
SF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 16.00 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.50

ROXY PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Tyler Wright (AUS) 11.77 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 10.44
QF 2: Laura Enever (AUS) 15.67 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 12.50
QF 3: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 19.20 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 14.50
QF 4: Carissa Moore (HAW) 18.37 def. Chelsea Hedges (AUS) 11.83


The Quiksilver Pro ran in some nice but flukey conditions. Both the non-elimination round four and round five ran. Round five had some super close heat and a classic between Taj Burrow and Adriano de Souza. The final combined heat score between the two of them was 38 out of 40 with both both holding two nines !!!! The only real name to fall out today was Parko in a close one to Jordy, who eats up drivey crumbling rights.

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Dusty Payne (HAW) 14.07, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.83, Tiago Pires (PRT) 11.80
Heat 2: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.53, Michel Bourez (PYF) 11.14, Kelly Slater (USA) 11.06
Heat 3: Brett Simpson (USA) 16.60, Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.63, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.87
Heat 4: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 15.23, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.76, Taj Burrow (AUS) 11.56

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST ROUND 5 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.80 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.60
Heat 2: Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.27 def. Michel Bouez (PYF) 12.94
Heat 3: Taj Burrow (AUS) 19.06 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 18.94
Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.67 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.17

QUIKSILVER PRO GOLD COAST QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS:
QF 1: Dusty Payne (HAW) vs. Kelly Slater (USA)
QF 2: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
QF 3: Brett Simpson (USA) vs. Taj Burrow (AUS)
QF 4: Alejo Muniz (BRA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)

Gidget Pro will finsh soon

The Womens WCT Gidget Pro at Sunset Beach will finish in a heat and a half. The waves are ok but a little inconsistent.

Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons is ripping hard and just scored the first 10 for a series big turns. She has been on fire in all her heats today. Alana Blanchard is backing up her win in the first of the Triple Crown events with some strong surfing.

Steph Gilmore could be less than six minutes from being World Champ. If Coco Ho, who needs a combo 12+, doesn't progress out of the current semi Steph wins with one event left.